PowerPoint: how to use Presenter View
Presenter View shows you your notes, the next slide and a timer on your laptop, while the audience sees only the current slide on the big screen. It is a great way to feel prepared. It needs two screens: your laptop and a projector or display.
Connect and set up your screens
- Plug in the projector or display.
- Press the Windows key and P together.
- Choose Extend. This makes the second screen separate from your laptop display.
If you pick Duplicate, your audience will see everything you see, including your notes.
Start the show
- In PowerPoint, click the Slide Show tab.
- Make sure Use Presenter View is ticked.
- Click From Beginning.
If the screens are the wrong way round, so the audience sees your notes, click the three dots at the bottom of Presenter View and choose Swap Presenter View and Slide Show. The menu wording may vary slightly.
What you can do
- See your speaker notes beneath the slide. Use the text size buttons to make them bigger.
- See the next slide and a clock.
- Jump to any slide with See all slides.
- Use the pen, highlighter or laser pointer.
- Black or un-black the screen with the button, or by pressing B.
Add speaker notes
Click Notes at the bottom of the normal view (or choose View, then Notes). Type your notes under each slide.
Presenting in Teams
If you are using Teams, share the Window containing your PowerPoint rather than the whole screen. Our Teams screen-sharing guide explains the options.
Common problems
- No Presenter View option: only one display is detected. Check the cable, then Windows key and P.
- The audience sees your notes: screens are duplicated, or swapped.
- Mac: use Slide Show, then Presenter View.
When to get more help
If a projector will not connect or a room screen keeps going blank, tell us what kind of screen or cable it is and we can help before your next presentation.